West Lancs MP Rosie Cooper slams Learning and Skills Council’s rebuild delays

Jun 30 2009 by Vicki Kellaway, Liverpool Daily Post

A POLITICIAN has attacked a setback in plans to rebuild three colleges in the region.

West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper said the Learning and Skills Council’s decision not to fund the £41m extension to Skelmersdale College was “a disgrace”.

Plans to revamp the further education college and others in Southport (£39.6m) and Mid-Cheshire (£44.3m) have been put on hold until at least 2011.

By then, Britain will be seized by a squeeze on capital spending which could mean the rebuilds never happen.

Ms Cooper said: “This is yet another sign of the incompetence of the LSC and the inept handling of funding for Further Education colleges.

“I will renew my efforts to get this decision reviewed.

“The LSC board should be sacked for being incompetent.”